Today we all are engaged in large number of conversations through out our daily routine activities. These activities could range from an informal communication to formal presentations, texting or emailing, phones or even the social media. No matter the form, the communication and more specifically the effective communication is an integral and important part of our life. Communication is a complicated activity which involves a balanced mixture several attributes like selection of proper words, keeping proper voice tones and volumes, body language, discussion history, knowledge about audience etc. Communication is considered to be an effective communication when recipient of the message clearly understand the meaning of the message in its true sense and must be able to express the meaning back to the sender of the message. To make communication effective it is usually thought that it must be a long meeting, which is quite not necessary. The prime objective of communication is to achieve understanding. Effective communication allows participants to properly exchange ideas. Successful communication enables people to interact more effectively with others in all areas of their relationships, both professional and personal. By putting good communication skills into use, we can communicate and influence at every level in our business workplace, from support staff to senior executives. Effective communication is an important and integral element of success for any individual as well as for an organization at all the levels. Communication skills are essential in today’s working environment, possessing only technical skills is not sufficient enough to succeed. Most of the organization value those employees who can not only find the things but also able to communicate those findings effectively. These are the reasons that most of the MBA education now-a-days focus on communication. Business Communication is one of the leading areas on which management school strives. Similarly candidates should also looks for those B-Schools which not only strives on core subjects but also focuses on the effective communication skill development. Communication skills help to achieve your goals in all aspects of life. There are various ways and practices to improve your communication skill, some basic communication skills to start putting into use immediately to achieve the immediate target. These are as follows:
Convey yourself/ Express your thoughts properly
It should be taken care that all the necessary information should not to be omitted and become important parts of the message. Many a times the sender feels some information as irrelevant or oblivious and do not transmit the information as part of message. This selective omission of information may change or dilute the meaning of message. The message should be direct, clear and congruent. Content, Voice, tone and body language all should indicate same meaning of message.
Active Listening
The other major point to be kept in mind and practice is active listening. Active listening is a major part of Effective communication. Effective communication must include listening skills. Active listening is becoming more difficult in this multitasking world where we are simultaneously engaged in many conversations over various mediums. It appears that the frequency of multitasking is increasing, and that there is no clear standard regarding how or when individuals in business should multitask. This is why it is important for a leader to ensure that his/her message, whether conveyed face-to-face or through text based mediums, is persuasive enough to grab the attention of the leader’s audience. The important aspect of active listening is to hear what actually people are saying and mean.
Become Aware of Body Language
It is a known fact that our body language makes up a large component of our message and has huge impact on the meaning of message. The sender should ensure that his non verbal communication and impressions should be in synchronization with his verbal communication.
Always use simple language and statements. People are usually being loaded with lots of information on daily basis. Simplicity is one of the most powerful and necessary attribute of effective communication. Effective communicator makes the complex thoughts and strategies into simple terms so that everybody for whom the message intended can be understood in real and true sense in which it should be.
Use Unique and Distinct Language and voice tones: It is advisable to use a distinct and unique language. Your values should come through your communication. Most of the people follow you if you are genuine and real. Most of the people respect and follow you’re thought if are genuine. Thus it is advisable not to disguise yourself.
Observations are equally important for effective communication: Pause, observation and listen. Effective communication is two-way. Good communicator knows how to ask good questions, and then listen with both their eyes and ears. It’s easy to be so focused on getting your message and persuading others.
Thus it is advisable to focus on making your communication effective. In conclusion it is clear that if effective communication is beneficial then poor communication may lead to certain prime losses like inefficiencies, confusions and clashes which finally lead to failures.
Author:
Dr. Durgesh Batra
Amity Business School,
Amity University Jaipur
+91-9887692936